Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland is distancing herself from controversial comments made by fired Canadian ambassador to China John McCallum to a Hong Kong-based newspaper, saying he “does not speak” for the government.

McCallum had told the South China Morning Post in an interview Monday that he had warned former contacts at China’s foreign ministry any further “punishments” against Canada could lead to the Conservatives winning the election in the fall, a change not favourable to Beijing.

“Anything that is more negative against Canada will help the Conservatives, (who) are much less friendly to China than the Liberals,” he is quoted telling the English-language newspaper.

McCallum also told the daily that Canadian government officials and business leaders should continue relationship-building visits to China in preparation for an eventual normalization in ties.

His comments prompted strong condemnation from Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, who accused McCallum in a statement yesterday of inviting foreign interference in the Canadian election.

“This invitation of foreign interference in the Canadian election — to a regime that has proven itself hostile to Canadian interests — is absolutely reprehensible,” Scheer said.

Freeland, asked by reporters about McCallum’s comments Thursday at a two-day conference in London on media freedom she is co-hosting, said he does not represent her government.

“Let me be extremely clear that Mr. McCallum does not speak in the name of the government of Canada,” she said.

Addressing Scheer’s comments that McCallum was inviting Chinese interference in the fall vote, Freeland said “it is a very important issue and it is something that we, as a country, have to be prepared to defend ourselves against.”

“In that context, I think it is inappropriate for any Canadian to be advising any foreign government in ways it ought, or ought not to, behave to secure any particular election outcome in Canada.”

McCallum was sacked as ambassador in January, following comments he made on the ongoing extradition case of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, who may be sent to the U.S. to face criminal charges for the telecom giant’s alleged attempt to sidestep American sanctions on Iran.

That month, he told a Chinese-language audience in the Toronto area that Meng had a strong case that her arrest was politically motivated and that “she has quite good arguments on her side.”

After releasing a statement saying he “misspoke” in the wake of subsequent criticism, McCallum later told StarMetro Vancouver it would be “great” if the U.S. dropped its extradition request. The next day, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau fired McCallum.

Since Meng was taken into custody in early December, China has detained two Canadians on spying allegations, although the move is widely seen as a response to her arrest. China has also restricted Canadian exports of canola and meat.

Canada has yet to appoint a replacement for McCallum, who joined law firm McMillan as a senior strategic adviser last month.

McCallum served as immigration minister in the Trudeau government from 2015 to 2017.